Cotton cleaning and drying machine



March 17, 1942. F. B. HINCKLEY, JR 2,276,397

COTTON CLEANING AND DRYING MACHINE Filed April 12, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v \WHI Eim MEN E INVENTOR.

v March 17, 1942. c JR 2,276,397

COTTON CLEANING AND DRYING MACHINE Filed April 12, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 17, 1942 COTTON CLEANING AND DRYING MACHINE Frank B. Hinckley, Jr., Dallas, Tex.

Application April 12, 1940, Serial No. 329,257

4 Claims. "(01. 19-93) This invention relates to cleaners and driers for cotton and it has particular reference to a machine of this character designed to remove dirt and moisture from cotton during its progress I to a gin for further processing.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a cleaner and feeder in which the effective cleaning screen area is much greater than in conventional cleaning machines.

Another object of the invention resides in the introduction of pre-heated air into the stream of cotton from a point below the drum assemblies, at the delivery side of each paddle drum, as the cotton progresses through the machine.

Broadly, the invention aflords a machine having means for uniformly feeding the cotton into the first of a series of paddle drums; means for imparting to the cotton an arcuate motion as it is projected upward by each successive drum, with the means for introducing the pre-heated air under slight pressure into the stream of cotton.

With the foregoing objects as paramount, the invention has other and lesser objects which will become manifest as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a machine constructed according to the present invention, in longitudinal cross-section, and

Figure 2 is a transverse section on line 22 on Figure 1.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawings, reference is primarily made to Figure l in which I designates the housing of the machine in the lower portion of which there is disposed a series of foraminous concaves 2, the latter having their edges joined to and supported by timbers 3. Within each concave 2, a paddle drum 4 is mounted. These drums are comprised of elongated paddles whose operative surfaces are tangential with respect to the axes of the shafts 5 of the drums. The peculiar arrangement of paddles has proved efiective in imparting a thrust to the cotton as it leaves the delivery side of each drum assembly.

Immediately above the first of the series of a drum assemblies, a chute 6 is provided through which cotton is introduced into the machine. A pair of feeder rolls 1 are disposed in the lower portion of chute 6.

Forming a portion of the inner wall of chute 6 is a curved or arcuate baflie plate 8, terminating in a bend a immediately above the first drum 4. A space b is defined between the bend a and the edge of the first concave 2, through which cotton is directed upwardly by the drum blades, to be impelled against the concave face of the bafile plate 8 with force, whence it falls against a screen 9 disposed at an angle to and above the rotating axis of the next adjacent drum 4. The cotton falls by gravity into the latter drum whereupon the blades thereof carry it across the concave 2 of this drum and upward through space 0, to be impelled against the curved baffle plate l0 and against screen I I, and so on progressively through the machine until it is discharged by the last drum into the outlet l2 for delivery to the gin. In the meantime, such dust and dirt as is released from the cotton by reason of the impact of the latter against the first screen 9 and succeeding screens, falls through these screens into the conveyors I3, operating in troughs l4, whence it is carried outward and deposited into conduits l5 for disposal in any suitable manner, not shown.

Below each concave 2 there is provided a hopper-like element l6. Two of these hoppers are provided for each unit, the tops converging adjacent the centers as apparent in Figure 3, to carry ofi the foreign matter released from the cotton as the latter is passed over the concave cleaning surfaces by the drum blades. The foreign matter thus removed is deposited into a suitable pipe (not shown) for disposal.

After being processed in the manner described, the cotton is suitably cleaned for ginning and the invention afiords certain devices, to be presently described, for removing moisture from the cotton during the cleaning operation.

A flue I1 is disposed below the machine and has a series of short pipes l8 communicating with chambers I9 between pairs of hoppers [6. These chambers are closed except for elongated slots 20, forming nozzles, which direct a blast of preheated air against streams of cotton projected upward by the drums against the curved bafile plates, as described, such pre-heated air being introduced into the pipe or flue IT. by any suitable means. Air is also discharged into the interior of the housing from flue I! through pipe 2|, as apparent in Figure 1. In this manner the whole interior of the machine is heated.

It has been found in practice that the motion of cotton in the chambers above the drums, creates a turbulence in the air to result in a slight suction in the areas occupied by the conveyors l3. This has been found to be an aid in removing dust from the cotton precipitating on the screens.

Manifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of some modification and such modification as may be construed within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered to be within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cotton cleaning and drying machine, a housing having a cotton inlet, a series of paddle drums and foraminous concaves arranged on a horizontal plane, the first of said series being disposed below said inlet, curved bailies above S d ums i st which cotton is projected by the paddles of said drums, cleaning screens substantially parallel with and spaced from said bafiies, down which cotton is precipitated to be received by the next adjacent drum for progressive processing, conveyor means serving each of said screens, air chambers arranged between and rising above said drums and in axial alignment therewith, a hot air manifold, transition means for introducing preheated air under pressure into said chambers from said manifold, nozzles directing said air into the streams of cotton discharged from each successive drum along the full width thereof, means for discharging cotton from said machine and means for removing foreign matter extracted from said cotton.

2. A cotton cleaning and drying machine including a series of drums disposed on relatively parallel shafts in a horizontal plane and comprised of paddles whose operative surfaces are tangential with respect to the axes of their shafts, foraminous concaves in which said drums operate, baffies above each drum and curved rearwardly of said machine whereby to similarly and progressively direct the cotton discharged by each of said drums, a screen adjacent each baflie and disposed at an angle to receive cotton directed by said baflle and to deposit the same into the next succeeding drum, a conveyor serving each of said screens, a hot air manifold below said drums, air chambers between and rising above said drums, each having an air nozzle directing air in a direction counter to the progressive travel of said cotton through said machine, transitions connecting said chambers with said manifold, means for discharging cotton from said machine after processing means for removing foreign matter extracted from said cotton.

3. A cotton cleaning and drying machine including a plurality of interconnected compartments, drums and foraminous concaves in each of said compartments, rearwardly curved baflles above said compartments against which cotton is propelled by the action of said drums to effect progressive movement thereof through said machine, angularly disposed screening means receiving cotton from said bailies, down which it precipitates to be deposited into the next succeeding drum, means servin each screening means for disposing of trash extracted thereby from said cotton, air chambers between and extending above said drums, each having elongated nozzles for distributing air throughout the width of the stream of cotton discharged from a drum, means for introducing preheated air into said chambers, means for receiving cotton discharged from the last of said drums and means for removing matter from said machine extracted from said cotton by said drums and foraminous concaves.

4. A cotton cleaning and drying machine including a series of drums operating over concave screens, curved baffles defining chambers above said drums into which cotton is forcibly projected by said drums, screens against which said cotton is propelled by the curved surfaces of said bafiles and effective in depositing said cotton into successive ones of said drums progressively, means between said drums defining air chambers, elongated slots in said chambers forming nozzles, means for introducing preheated air into said chambers to be discharged through said nozzles into the stream of cotton discharged by each of said drums, means for discharging cotton from said machine, and means for removing extracted foreign matter from points below said screens.

FRANK B. HINCKLEY, JR. 

